ACAPULCO, Mexico — Hurricane Otis, a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane, made landfall on Mexico’s southern Pacific coast early Wednesday, bringing dangerous winds and heavy rain to the city of Acapulco and surrounding areas. This storm has stirred memories of a devastating 1997 storm that caused numerous fatalities.
By Wednesday morning, Hurricane Otis had weakened to a strong Category 2 storm and was rapidly losing strength as it moved through Guerrero state’s mountainous regions. Authorities had not yet provided any preliminary damage assessments as much of the affected area was still without power. The combination of downed trees, persistent rain, and flooding has made transportation difficult.
The forecast predicted 5 to 10 inches of rain, with some areas possibly receiving up to 15 inches, increasing the risk of landslides and floods.
As Hurricane Otis approached, a convoy of trucks from the national electric company was deployed to Acapulco. The storm had intensified rapidly, going from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane within 12 hours on Tuesday. Many residents along Guerrero’s coast were caught off guard by the sudden strength of the storm.
Acapulco Mayor Abelina López urged residents to take maximum precautions and either remain at home or seek shelter as the storm made landfall. Videos from hotel guests in Acapulco showed the powerful impact of the storm, with blinding rain and strong winds causing havoc.
According to Mayor López, Hurricane Otis is stronger than Hurricane Pauline, which struck Acapulco in 1997 and caused widespread destruction and loss of life. With hundreds of small towns and villages located between the mountains and the ocean, the region between Acapulco and Zihuatanejo is particularly vulnerable to the storm’s impact.
The arrival of Hurricane Otis comes just days after Hurricane Norma struck the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula. Acapulco, a city of nearly 1 million people, opened two dozen shelters in preparation for Otis’ arrival.
It is important to note that Guerrero is one of Mexico’s poorest and most violent states. In a tragic event just on Monday, a local police chief and 12 police officers were massacred and found on a highway in El Papayo, a township in Guerrero not far from the area directly impacted by Otis.
In the Atlantic, Hurricane Tammy continued moving northeastward over open water with winds of 100 mph after affecting the Lesser Antilles over the weekend. As of now, Tammy is located about 540 miles south-southeast of Bermuda and is expected to transition into a powerful extratropical cyclone by Thursday, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.
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